Package assembly



March 27, 1956 J. K. MACOMBER 2,739,705

PACKAGE ASSEMBLY Filed Feb. 5, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. James KEITH MHCOMBEF? HTT'OENEY EAMAJ Haw.

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 3, 1954 4 M wxwmu m m E 4 HT .m a .1 J T m 6 IIIIHW 1 Hm! Ticri- INVENTOR. JAMES KEITH Mecomaare /W4 Hue.

QTTOR NEY United States Patent PACKAGE ASSEMBLY James Keith Macomber, Rockville Centre, N. Y.

Application February 3, 1954, Serial No. 407,982

Claims. (Cl. 206-73) My invention relates to a container for packing and handling labels, such as cigar band labels and similar materials. It has been the practice, until I made my invention to pack cigar band labels for handling and shipment by making them up in bundles of approximately 250, tying them by hand with string or cord,.and then placing them in a container or package by hand.

The labels are then shipped by the label manufacturer to the user where they are unpacked by hand. The unpacking operation requires an operator to remove the strings and handle the loose labels. After one bundle of labels is used, the same procedure must be repeated over again, resulting in many hand operations with the attendant danger of mishandling while the bundles are being untied.

It is the object of my invention to provide a package assembly adapted to hold many thousands of labels without the necessity of tying them into bundles as aforesaid. Thus, many hand operations which are necessary to the tying and untying procedures are eliminated.

it is a further object of my invention to provide such package assembly which will hold the labels firmly in position therein and prevent sliding or displacement. Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from a reading of the following speci fications:

I attain these objects with the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. l is a perspective view showing my device with the cover lifted and partially packed with label trays containing labels;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a label;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one end of a label tray containing labels;

Fig. 3A is a perspective view of one end of an alternate form of label tray containing labels;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the label tray shown in Fig. 3 with portions scored prior to folding;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the label tray shown in Fig. 4 folded into position;

Fig. 6 is a top view of the tray shown in Fig. 3 loaded with labels;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the tray shown in Fig. 3 loaded with labels;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of another form of label;

Fig. 8A is a perspective view of the ends of another alternate form of label tray adapted to receive the type of label shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 9 is an end view of the container 10 with the end portion of the container removed revealing the ends of loaded label trays packed therein, said label trays being of a further alternate form as shown in Fig. 9A; and

Fig. 9A is a side elevation of the type of label trays shown in Fig. 9 loaded with another shape of label as shown in Fig. 9.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views. The main body of my device is a box or container which is comprised of lower portion 10,

2,739,706 Patented Mar. 27, 1956 and a cover portion 11. These parts are made in the usual manner but of cardboard or equivalent material. The lower portion 10 should be of sufiicient strength to maintain its shape when loaded with labels 12, 20 or 25. This may be done by providing a heavy material for its construction or by using reinforcing strips of heavy material 13, at the sides and ends, and if desired, at the top and bottom.

While it is optional as to how many rows or tiers of labels may be packed in my device, I have illustrated its use as a package assembly for cigar labels 12 in its form as shown in Fig. 1. There are three rows of labels 12, packed three tiers deep. Each row of labels 12 is packed on a label tray 14, which is made of cardboard or equivalent material. Each label tray 14 is scored near its ends along the lines designated by the numerals 15 to provide for folding into end plates or panels 15a and tabs 16. The end plates 15:: and the tabs 16 are formed by cutting out the middle portion of the folds out of which they are made. The amount to be cut out between the end plates or panels 15a and tabs 16 depends on the size of the particular label to be packed. The tab 16 rests on the narrow ends 17 of the label 12. The wider middle portion 18 of the label 12 should be between the tabs 16, as shown in Fig. 3. This arrangement prevents displacement of the labels 12 and permits handling of thousands of labels at once without tying.

l have shown an alternate form of label tray 14a in Fig. 3A of the drawings. In this'form, I have provided an end plate from which tabs 16b extend. In all other respects, the tray 14a is similar to the tray 14.

Separators 19 made of cardboard, or similar material,

serve many purposes. They prevent lateral displacement of labels 12 from one tray 14 to another.- They provide reinforcement for the entire container so that it will maintain its shape at all times, and also provide compartments within the.container. 4

There are many types of labels which come in various shapes and'forms. I have thus far described my invention and its use in connection with labels similar to label 12 as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Another type of label 20 is shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings. This label is fairly regular and oblong in shape, with the exception that it has one tapered or rounded end 21. fore, provided a tray 22 with end plates or panels 23 having a single tab 24. When the labels 20 are packed into the tray 22, the tabs 24 which extend from the ends 23 fit over the rounded ends 21 of the labels 20.

Another type of label 25 is shown in Fig. 9 and 9A of the drawings. The label 25 as illustrated is representative of the type of label used on the neck of a bottle, such as a beer bottle. It will be noted that its central portion is lower than its end portions. In accordance with my invention, 1 have designed an alternate type of label tray 26 which has end plate or end panel 27 extending from the central portion of each of its ends, and an extension or tab 27a extending from the end plate or end panel 27. The tab 27a rests on the central portion of the end labels of the row of packed labels as shown in Fig. 9.

Further alternate trays may be designed with one or more tabs to accommodate other different types and shapes of labels in a package assembly in accordance with my invention. While I have described my device in its preferred forms, there are other forms in which it can be constructed without departure from the claims of my invention; for example: the end plates or panels 15a,

16a, 23 and 27 and the respective tabs extending there-u from 16, 16b, 24 and 27a may be any extension folded in accordance with my invention, designed to fit a particular label, so long as the portion of the extension I have, there adjacent to. the label,- tray: (analogous to the end plate 15a, 16a, 23 and 27) is substantially perpendicular to the base of the said label tray and in faced contacting relation to an end label on the tray, and the outer folded portion (analogousto ,tbeitabs 16, L612, 2,4 and 27a); is oyer thetend. labels. 1 desire; to be protected for, every formv of construction or equivalent, which comes within the claims following:

Wherefore, I claim:

1. A label package box having a plurality oftrays, each tray having a base po1 tion, a,row. of labels arranged in faced contacting relation on said base portion, each label having at. least, one. wide. portion; and having at least. one reduced portion, each, rowof. labels being; on a separate tray, said, trays having; and panels in faced contacting,relationwithan end labeLof the. row of: labels, and saidend panels having a. tab overlying and in substantialcontact. with. a reduced portion of the end labels of the row,

2. A label package box having a plurality of trays, each tray having a base portion, arow of labels arranged in faced, contacting relation on said base portion, each label having at least one wide portion and at least one reduced portion, each row. of. labels being ona separate tray, said, trays, havingdividedend. panels in faced contacting relation with an end label of the row of labels and at least one of said divided end panels having a tab overlying andin substantial contactv with a reduced portion of the end label of the. row.

3. A label package box having a plurality of trays, each tray having a base portion, a row of labels arranged in faced contactingrelation on said base portion, each label having at least one wide. portion and at least one reduced portion, each row of labelsv being in a separate tray, said trays having at least one folded extension at each end thereof, the portion of the said folded extension adjacent to the base of. the tray being substantially perpendicular, to the base of'the said tray and in faced, contacting relation with an end label'of the said row of labels, and the portion of such folded extension projecting fromthe lastmentioned portion being substantially perpendicular thereto and overlying and in substantial contact with a reduced portion of'the end labels of" the row.

41A label" package box having a plurality of trays of labels, each tray having a base portion, a row of labels arranged in faced contacting relation on said base portion,

each row of labels being on a separate tray, each label tended, portion projecting, over. the row. in substantial contact with a lower longitudinal portion of the end labels of, the row.

5. A label package box having a plurality of trays of labels, each trayhaving abase-portion, a row of labels arranged in faced contacting relation on said base portion, each row of labels being on a separate tray, each label in a row being similar and irregular in form so that when arranged on said, tray at least one: longitudinal portion is-higher, and? projects upwardly to a greater extent than, other longitudinal portions,,saidtrays having. at least one upwardly extending portion at each end thereof in faced: contacting relationi with an end label of the row, said upwardly extending portions having at least one further extended portion.- proiecting' over the row of labels and in substantial contacttwith a lower longitudinal portion of the end labels of the row.

References Citedin the file of this patent UNITED STATES ATENTS 337,903 Waste Mar. 16, 1886 625,757 Groneman May 30, 1899 1,103,977 Marx July 21, 1914 1,530,644 Blandford Mar; 24, 1925 139455773- Dennerlein Feb. 6, 1934" 251L137 Sunderhaufet'al Feb. 16, 1943 2 ,339,382 Davidson Jan. 18', 1944 2,522,253 Broeren eta1. Sept. 12, 1950 2,545,803 Bergstein Mar. 20; 1951 2,582,785 Luppold' Ian; 15', 1952 25975846: Reeser- May'27, 1952 

